Apparatus for preparing cigarette mouthpieces



June l0, 1924i, 1,497,026

l.. PRZEDECKI APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CIGARETTE MOUTHPIECES Filed May l14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June l0, 1924.

L. PRZEDECKI APPARATUS FOR PHEPARING4 CIGARETTE MOUTHPICES Filed May 14, 1923 2 Sheets-5heer 2 19g/adac ma, /ul /a/WWW' Patented June 10, 1924.

LUDWIG rnznnncni, or BaEsLAU, GERMANY. Y

APPARATUS non PREPARING CIGARETTE ivroufr'nrrnons.

Application filed May 14,

To all whom t may cof/wem:

Be it known that I, LUDWIG PRZEDEGK'I, a citizen of the Republic oi' Germany, and a resident of Breslau, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Apparatus for Preparing Cigarette Mouthpieces, of .which the following is a specification.

It has been previously .proposed to provide cigarettes with mouthpieces in the form of straw-tubes or reeds and the like, in such a manner, that the end of the mouthpiece to be secured to the cigarette is slit into a number of strips ot a certain length, these strips thereafter being spread outwardly and then bent over one end of the cigarette in rorder finally to be gummed thereon.

The apparatus hitherto known and employed 'for the preparation ofsuch ,cigarette mouthpieces essentially consists of a series of slitting knives tor slitting one end of the mouthpiece, and ot a clamp torv compressing and bending the 'slitted mouthpiece end. The star-shaped or para'llelly disposed knives are hereby securely mounted on a bed-plate. For the purpose of slitting the tubular mouthpiece, the latter is vertically pressed down on the knives, the endoi1 the tube thus being formed. into a number ot' strips ot a length corresponding with the height of the knives. The s litjend is then inserted into the aforesaid clamp and thereby held and pressed fiat, the tree portion of the tubular mouthpiece being adapted to be' bent over towards either side. in this way the slit and weakened strips will readily bend off or spread out without danger of the slits extending beyond the intended depth. The slitting and bending of the tubes as well as the spreading out ot the strips require, however, separate manipulations, the preparation of the mouthpieces therefore being complicated and slow and unequal.

It is the object ot' thisinvention to avoid these drawbacks, the new and improved apparatus operating automatically and slitting the mouthpiece, Jfor instance a straw-tube, and spreading out the slit strips without necessitating their previous bending oi.

According to my invention the apparatus comprises a holder Jfor the straw-tubes, this holder Abeing adapted to rotate and having a number of lrecesses or grooves vfor the re- 1923. n serial No. 638,910.

ception of the straw-tubes. The arrange- Yment of the said lholder is herebyA such, that its rotary f. movement is intermittent and .that lit is successively arrested before a slitting-tool and a spread'ing-outvcone respectively, both the slitting-tool and theV cone duri-ng a stoppage of the holder being made `to move axially of the straw-tubes resting in the grooves; of the holder and slitting the tube and spreading out the slit strips in the manner subsequently 4set forth.

In the present case and by way of eX*- ample the holder for the straw-tubes consists of a disc `or drum provided at its circumferenceV with a series ofequidistant and laterally disposed grooves, eachgroo-ve, `as the drum is intermittently rotated by mechanism hereinafter described, servingrrto receive a `straw-tube, while the aforementioned slitting-tool and the Y spreading-out cone are so mounted relative to the grooves, that upon each intermittent rotary movement of the drum one ot the straw-tubes is slit and the 'preceding and previously slit straw-tube operated onr by the, cone, Vthe operation consisting ot'V the lspreading Out 'of the slit strips. f

In order that the invention may be 'clearly understood Vreterenceis made to the 1ac-V companying drawings, in which l:--

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a cigarette with a straw-tube mouthpiece attached thereto Figs. 2 to 4 represent a side elevation, plan view andtront elevation, respectively, ot thev apparatus;

Figs. 5 and 6 show sections, scale, through lines A`A and spectively, in Fig. 3'; Y

Figs. 7 to 49 are sections through lines C-f-C, D-D and E-E, respectively, in Fig. 6;v

Figs. 10 and 11 are sections through lines G-G in Fig. 6, that is, through details indicated lat I and II in Figa;

Fig. 12 shows a longitudinal section through the end of a strawetube and of the slitting-tool, the section being ltaken through line H`H in Fig. 7;

` Fig. 13 is a section through Fig. 12; f

Fig. 14 represents a sec-tion longitudinally ot a slit straw-tube, and an elevation of part ot the spreading out cone;

Figs. 15 and Y16 show sections on anen ion a larger B-B, re-

larged scale through line K K in Fig. 3, with certain parts in different positions, and

Figs. 17 to 2() show diagrammatical views to assist in the better explanation of the Working of the apparatus.

)referring lirst to Figs. 2 to 4, the apparatus comprises supports l and 2 with bearings for a shaft 4 adapted to be rotated by means of a pulley 3 iixed on the said shaft, the latter furthermore carrying a crank which is capable ot radial adjustment and of imparting a swinging motion to a lever-arm 8 loosely mounted on a second shaft 7 by means of a` linlr 6 when the shaft 4 is rotated. fr pawl 9 arranged on the lever-arm and engaging with a ratchet- VWheel l on the shait 4 causes the shaft 'i upon a swinging movement ot the said arm in a right-hand direction to turn ac- Icordingly, while the lever-arm when made to swing in an `opposite direction leaves the ratchet-Wheel and consequently the shaft 7 inactive. ports 11 and 12 and has securely mounted on it a disc or drum 13 provided at its circumference with a serios of grooves 14, in the present case eight, all disposed at equal distances from one another, that is, at an angle of relative to the centre ot' the drum. Thus, upon ev ry complete rotation of the crank the lever-arm 8 causes the shaft 7 and the drum 123 to be rotated about an angle of rilhe. shaft 7 extends through a fixed and vertically disposed plate 15 arranged close to one side oli the drum 13, a disc 18 formed with two Cams 16 and 17 being located at the other side o? the said plate and loosely bearing on the shaft 7. This disc 18 is moreover provided with a hub 19, While the latter has attached to it an angle-shaped arm 20, Figs. 3 to 5. The free end of this arm 2() is under the control of a spring 21and carries a roller 22, in such manner, that the spring tends to press the roller against a cam 23 xed on the shaft 4. rllhe cam 23 is hereby so Yformed that when the shatt 4 is rotated the arm 20, h v the action of the spring, is lmvered into a depression of the cam and subsequently raised again. thereby causing` oscillating movement of the cam-disc 153. living to the cams 16 and 17 thercoit and the adjacent depressions 24 and Fig. tvro radially disposed rods and are made to move outwardly and inwardly in relation lo the centre of the disc 18. the said rods being placed at an angle ot 450 to each other and carrying at their inner ends slidlable and fork-shaped members 28 and 29' respectively. These members serve as bearings ttor rollers 31 and are each under the control oil spring tending to press the members with. rollers against the disc 18. The 'outer portion oi' the rods 28 and 29 The latter is journaled in supextend through and are bearing in sleeves 26 and respectively, which sleeves are secured to or made integral with the plate i5. The screw-threaded head of each rod receives bar 33 which is fastened by a nut and reaches over the plate 15 and partly over the rim ot' vthe drum 13, the bar 33 moreover being in engagement with ano guided by a recess 32 provided in the top ot' the aforementioned sleeves. Provision is further made of a clamping jaw 'formed on the underside ot' one of the bars 33 and made of a Width corresponding with the Width ot the drum 13, and ot' a second clamping jaw 35 o'li slightly diterent form on the underside oi: the other bar 38, Figs. 10 and 11. The jaws 34 and 35 are situated opposite two neighboring grooves 14 of the drum 13 and thus, when straw-tubes are placed into these grooves and the rods 28 and 29 are caused to be moved inwardly, the jaws are made partly to embrace the straw-tubes and securely hold them within the grooves. is will be seen later on, the straw-tube, after it has been placed directly under the jaw during the rotary movementl of the drum 13, will be slit, while upon a further rotary movement of the drum and the consequent placcmcnt ot the straw-tube immediately beneath the 35 its slit strips are caused to be spread out. And since during the slitting process a lirmer grip of the straw-tube is required than is the case when` merely spreading out the slit strips, the clamping jaw 84, contrai?,v to the jaiv 3H, is made slightly to enter into the grooves 14.

its illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the plate 15 is mounted at a certain distance d trom the drum 13. This plate acts thus as a hutnient lor the straw-tubes 36 When axial pressure is exerted thereon hy the action ot either the slitting-tool or the spreading-ont cone as indicated hy the arrov7 a. The plate 15 may, however, he adjusted and the distance d varied according to the depth the sl'ra\.vtuhes are to he cut or slit.

Situated. at the points designated hy l and ll in Fig. 4, and in line with the tivo straw-tubes assumed to lie in the correspondingly located grooves 14, are the aforesaid slitting-'tool and the spreading-out cone, both these instruments being actuated hy similar devices, Figs. 6 and '7. The slittingtool 37 and the spreading-out cone 38, each adapted to be replaced, are mounted at one end ot spindles 39 which areinade slidable in bearings 4() in the direction oi' the strawtuhe located in the drum.. rlhe other and fork-shaped end ot each of these spindles carries a roller 41, While springs 42 itted on the spindles and interposed between the bearings 40 and the fork-shaped ends ot the spindles have the tendency to press the rollers 41 against a loose disc 43 on the shaft 7,

ll l) lli() wheel of equal size meshing with the former, the crank 5 and the shaft 4 rotating therefore in an opposite direction to but at the same speed as the disc 43 on the shaft 7.

This disc has also formed thereon a slanting projection 46, Figs. 2, 3, 6, 7 and 17 to 20, which upon the rotation of said disc is made to move first of all below and past the roller 41 of the spindle carrying the slitting-tool 37, and subsequently past the roller 41 appertaining to the spindle carrying the spreading-out cone 38, Fig. 14. The projection 46 effects hereby an axial sliding movement of the spindles in the direction of the arrow a, Figs. 6 and 7 but after its passage the spindles. through the action of the springs 42, ret-urn to their former position. Ac-

cording to the construction shown, the slitting-tool, as in other and known designs, possesses a series of knives 52 mounted in stai' form on a suitable plate, these knives on the'forward movement of the spindle slitting the straw-tube into a number. of strips, 14. The cone 38, on the other hand, when moved forward causes the slit strips to be spread out.

Figs. 2, 3, 4, 15 .and 16 illustrate the device for automatically moving the strawtubes 3 6 into the grooves 14 of the drum 13. A receptacle R serves to receive the straw-tubes and is provided with a hinged bottom 48 adapted to swing up and down, its free and downwardly curved end 5() projecting somewhat beyond the inner wall 49 of the receptacle and maintaining the bottom 48 in the. position shown in Fig. 15 by its contact with the cylindrical part of the drum. In such position the discharge port 51 formed at the base of the receptacle is shut olf therefrom. Vhen, however, during the rotation of the drum 13 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 15, any groove 14 reaches the projecting end of the hinged bottom 50, the latter, owing to its own weight, falls down into-the position shown in Fig. 16, one of the straw-tubes 36 stored in the receptacle rolling through the discharge port 51 into the groove. Upon further rotation of the drum 13 the bottom of the receptacle is raised again into the former position until the arrival of the next groove in the drum.

- An intermediate wall 53 mounted in the receptacle R is adapted to be adjusted in a left or right-hand direction, in such a way, that the distance of the said wall 53 from the outer wall 54 of the receptacle exactly corresponds with the length of the straw-tubes 36 to be slit. The disposition of the receptacle relative to the plate 15 and the drum 13 is moreover such, that the single straw-tubes are caused to be dropped straight into the grooves 14 and so that the ends of the tubes away from the slitting-tool are made to rest 'against the plate 15 acting as an abutment.

` 1n order more clearly to explain the operation of the apparatus, reference is made to the diagrammatical views, Figs. 17 to 20. It is assumed that the several parts are in the position indicated in Fig, 17, lin which the groove 14 on the left from the top of the drum has just received a straw-tube a j vwhile the two preceding grooves, as a resulty of the previous rotation ofthe drum, contain straw-tubes 5 and c respectively. y sition the'clamping jawsv 84 and 35 appertaining to the rods 28 and 29 are situated opposite the tubes 5 and 0 but are kept out of contact therewith by the camsformed on the disc 18, these cams pressing the said rods outwardly. The cam 23, when rotated in the direction opposite to that of the clockhand, and the correspondingly turning cran 5 on the shaft 4, owing to the link 6 impart a swinging movement to the left of the leverarm 8 on the shaft 7, while the toothed wheel 45 meshing with the toothed wheel 44etlects v a rotary movement. of the discl 43 in the direction of the clock-hand. Now, as soon as the depression in the cam 23 is broughtvop- Aposite the roller 22 of the angle-shaped arm 20, the latter, by the action of the spring at 21, is gradually swinging downwards thereby causing a turning movement of the carndisc 18 until the depressions 24 and 25 there- 1n this poin `are located below the roller-supporting rods 28 and 29. rThese rods, ycontrolled by the springs 30, descend into the said depressions and thus bring the vclamping jaws 34 and 35 in contact with the straw-tubes?) and c which they now-securelyhold within `.the grooves. The clamping Yofthetubes'b and 0 lasts until the slittingprocess and'thespreading out of the slit strips of thetubes has been completed. A continued rotation of the shaft 4 then results in the sliding movement, by means of the projection 46 on the rotating disc 43, ,of the spindle 39 carrying the slitting-tool 37 in the directon of the arrow a, Figs. 6 and 7, the knives 52 slitting the corresponding end of the straw-tube into a number of strips. lmmediately after the release by the projection 46 of the spindle carrying the slitting-tool, the latter is withdrawn from the straw-tube b by the action of the spring 42. The projection 46 has meantime reached close to the straw-tube 0 of which, it is assumed, the end has already been slit in the manner described. The clamping jaws .54 and 35 are hereby still in the lower, Ythat iso drawn from the spread-out strips of the straw-tube and thc parts of the mechanism assume the position indicated in Fig. 20. Thus, the cam 23 has against the action of the spring 2l once more lifted the arm S30 and thereby effected a rotary movement of the disc 18 in the direction of the clock-hand. vrlhe said disc and with it the rods 28 and 29 have consequently been returned to their initial positions and the clamping jaws 3e' and 35 disengaged from the finished strawtube mouthpieces o and c. When the stud of the crank 5 has arrived at the point a, F 20, the swinging movement of the leverarm 8 in a left-hand direction ceases and changes into a return swinging movement to the right. rihis return movement is lasting until the crank-stud has reached the position indicated at y. During such movement the shaft is turned by the lever-arm 8 in the direction of the clock-hand and causes a turning of the drum i3 on the shaft 7 about an angle of exactly 450 so that thcstrawtube i is brought to the position previously occupied by the straw-tube Z). rlhis tube in turn, is brought to the position formerly occupied by the tube c, and the latter to that of the tube c from which position it is automatically discharged from the drum onto and down a slide-way or other suitable device. `l/"ifhen the crank-stud has once more reached the point y, the parts of the mechanism re-assume the positions according to Fig. 17, the whole action described then being repeated.

Having now fully described my said invention what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In the herein-described apparatus for preparing cigarette mouthpieces in the form of straw tubes, the combination, of a cylinlrical holder having a series of laterally disposed grooves on its circumference adapted to receive the straw-tubes, mechanism to cause an intermittent rotation of the holder, means for holding at least two neighbouring straw-tubes within the grooves after each intermittent moven'ient of the holder and means to .release the said tubes therefrom, a slittingtool mounted in line with one of the straw-tubes when secured in its groove, a cone mounted in line with the straw-tube fixed in the neighbouring groove, means to cause a sliding movement of the slitting-tool 'and the cone to vards and into the one end of the two aforesaid straw-tubes, and means for subsequently retracting the slitting-tool and the cone, all as and for the purpose set forth.

In the herein-described apparatus for preparing cigarette mouthpieces in the form of straw tubes, the combination, with a drum having a series of laterally' disposed and equidistant grooves on its circumference adapted to receive the straw-tubes, of mechanism to cause an intermittent rotation of the drum, means to discharge a straw-tube into one groove after every intermittent rotation of the drum, means for holding the two preceding straw-tubes within their grooves and means to release them therefrom, a slittingtool and a spreading-out cone mounted axially of and in line with the securely held two straw-tubes respectively, means to cause a sliding movement of the said slitting-tool and cone 'towards and into the fixed tubes, and means for subsequently retracting the slitting-tool and cone, as and for the purpose set forth. v

Kommerzienra LUDWIG PRZEDEQKL. 

